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“You know Jace Reed?” I ask with as much friendliness as I can muster.
His eyes narrow slightly. “What about him?”
The heavy Eastern-European accent is unmistakable. Russian, though he could be from any of the post-Soviet countries that speak it.
“I just saw you talking,” I admit. “We are meeting up in ten minutes,” I lie, “but he doesn’t have many friends in the city, so I just wanted to say hi.”
The guy stares at me unblinkingly. “You know him?”
“He’s my boyfriend.” I lie again and start blushing right away, changing the bags from one hand to another to disguise it.
“Boyfriend, you say?”
His eyes quickly drop to my bags that have the Ukrainian deli logo, then my outfit. There’s only one word for it—he’s profiling me like a true Eastern European.
“He’s only been in the city for a few months, but yeah.” I don’t know why I lied. “? ?? ??? ? ??? ????????1” I ask in Russian.
His face lights up instantly in amusement. “???????2” I think that curve of his lips is a smile.
“???? ?? ????????.3” I shrug.
“?????????. ????? ????? ????.4”
He nods in approval, and I laugh, making him smile as he puffs out the cigarette smoke.
“So how do you know Jace?” I insist, switching to English because my Russian is rusty.
“Work.”
A train passes above us with roaring loudness. It’s the trademark of Brighton, as well as the water and oil dripping from the tracks, spotting Brighton Beach Avenue with permanent puddles.
I wait until the train is gone and smile at the guy, who flicks the cigarette onto the road and is about to turn.
“You are his client?”
He chuckles. “He ismine.”
“Oh?”
He squints at me. “He told you what he does?”
Automotive equipment sales, right? He’s never once said he does business in Brighton.
“Yeah. What a job, huh?”
The man tsks. “With his record, he could be working in an elite unit overseas. This is a much better pay, I guess. But hey, good catch.”
He winks and cackles.
I fake a laugh, but I don’t understand the meaning of what he said.
“Take care.” He turns to leave then turns back to me. “Forgot to tell him. The BNVD-51s will take an extra two weeks.?????????5”
“Sure!”
“?? ?????, ?????????!6”
He leaves, and I drop the bags and dial Jace.
